I'll be asking this elsewhere as well but I'd like some input on what brand of circular polarizers you find have the least problems with flare. I do not shoot a lot of landscape work but do shoot a lot of interiors and I'd like to know if anyone has better experience with flare suppression with one make of Polarizer over another, also preferably with the least amount color shift as well.

Mike: I will check out the Zeiss. I tried the B&W the other day and there was too much color shift. The Nikon Circular Polarizer I tried was far more neutral, but they don't make it in the size I need (82mm).

I am using a 95mm multi-coated Heliopan circular polarizer; it has good flare resistance and seems better-constructed than the B + W (I had two of them start binding upon turning, then break apart and fall on the ground, shattering the glass). I have been using this one for about a year, and the color rendition is very good.

I love 2filter also. But they quit selling Hoya about a year or so ago. They lead with Marumi which cost less but work well also. I have a 95mm Marumi that works great no flare. They use aluminum and can bind.

I have been using this for nearly one year... works great. the light loss is a lot less than with other PL filters which is a key feature for pano shooting in forest environment as is speeds up each frame by a factor of 2 every other thing being equal.

I'm surprised that no one has linked to these articles, yet. Here is some testing on multiple brands. It appears that the B+W's fare the best. You can get the actual flare results on the Excel file link located part way down the page of chapter 4.

My problem with B + W was not the flare resistance or optical quality, but the mechanical action. I use a 95mm filter on the front of a wide angle lens, and have had two B + W filters in five years break apart and fall onto the rocks, shattering the glass. It wasn't a good thing to have happen when I was on an assignment.

My problem with B + W was not the flare resistance or optical quality, but the mechanical action. I use a 95mm filter on the front of a wide angle lens, and have had two B + W filters in five years break apart and fall onto the rocks, shattering the glass. It wasn't a good thing to have happen when I was on an assignment.

This seems to be a not uncommon complaint with the Hoya polarizers, but this is the first I heard of it with the B+W's.

Generally a multicoated is better. But you can reduce the flare a lot with lens hood. or something shading sun or bright light from hitting surface of filter. My experience is also that a filter sitting closer to lens element is the better.

I'll be asking this elsewhere as well but I'd like some input on what brand of circular polarizers you find have the least problems with flare. I do not shoot a lot of landscape work but do shoot a lot of interiors and I'd like to know if anyone has better experience with flare suppression with one make of Polarizer over another, also preferably with the least amount color shift as well.

Way late to this Ellis, but I was wondering which way you went?

I will tell you from my 30 years experience there are only 2 CPLs I would buy. For 98% of people, it would be the Nikon CPL II. For the rest, shooting in harsh and wet environments, the B+W XS-Pro KSM CPL because it is sealed. Warning on the XS-Pro, it is slightly larger than the filter threads so bayonet hoods that are really tight might not go over it. Both are fairly thing and both have front threads. Image attached.

I find the rendition of the Nikon, strength of effect, clarity and limited color cast, better than anything else. Like the 5T and 6T diopters (no longer manufactured), there is just something special about the Nikon CPLs. And even 20 year old ones were easy to keep clean, unlike old single and multi coated B+W filters that are a bitch. And I find it easier to put on and take off. I don't know if is brass or aluminum, but I find that B+W filters bind as bad as Tiffen filters. The Hoya CPls (MC and Pro1 Digital, no experience with the HD line) are really nice, but I've had 1 auto disassemble (62mm) and one come apart when I fumbled it onto a hard wood floor (72mm). So I stopped buying anything Hoya but ND.

Most of my filters over the years have been either B+W or top end Hoya. I've also had some Heliopan and the odd Tiffen Enhancing filter I picked out of a camera show bin for $4. But when it comes to CPL, I always seem to go back to the Nikon. I own 62mm Nikon CPL, 67mm Nikon CPL II, 77mm Nikon CPL II and 77mm B+W Multi Coated CPLs. I bought the B+W when I got my 1st lens with 77mm threads and and 9 month later bought the Nikon to replace it.

Most people that reflexively recommend B+W filters do so more off the reputation of Schneider Optics and Schott Glass than real world experience. B+W made their bones about 20 years ago when grinding and polishing glass extremely flat to very fine tolerances was difficult. With manufacturing technology today, it's just not that hard anymore.

I will tell you from my 30 years experience there are only 2 CPLs I would buy. For 98% of people, it would be the Nikon CPL II. For the rest, shooting in harsh and wet environments, the B+W XS-Pro KSM CPL because it is sealed. Warning on the XS-Pro, it is slightly larger than the filter threads so bayonet hoods that are really tight might not go over it. Both are fairly thing and both have front threads. Image attached.

I used both (in smaller size though) and I don't recall any particular issues with flare. I have mostly the B+W Kaesseman in different sizes and I think the Nikon was a little easier to clean.